Envelop



R. HARGIIEAVES.

ENVELOF.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 1920.

1,371,418. Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

UNITED STATES ROBERT HARGREAVES, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

ENVELOP.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15. 1921.

Application led February 7, 1920. Serial No. 356,920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT I-IARGREAVES, a subject of the Kingdom of Great Britain, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ram sey and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Envelops. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to envelops and particularly to a sealing means for the same, the primary object ofwhich is to seal an envelop by a non-adhesive means which is torn away to open the envelop and to give access to the contents therein. A feature of the invention is in a simple, inexpensive construction wherein overlapping members of an envelop are formed with coinciding, projecting portions, through which a piercing element is passed to clench the coinciding, overlapping portions together and thus seal the envelop in a less expensive manner than where an adhesive is used, and in a sanitary way. This invention has for its purpose to do away with the licking or moistening of the sealing flap which carries the sealing adhesive for an envelop.

The specification and claims will fully describe and set forth the peculiar features of my invention, which are most adaptable for practical use.

In the drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a geometrical development of an envelop as it would appear when stamped from a sheet of paper, illustrating the sealing portions thereon and also in dotted lines the places of scoring the same for folding.

Fig. 2 illustrates the back view of an envelop with my sealing means thereon.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 2 on the line 3 3.

In the drawings, A indicates an envelop or blank form, which is formed with a front body portion 10 having side flaps 11 and a center flap 12.

Protruding from the body portion 10 is the lip 13, while similarly shaped lips 14 project from the side flaps 11. The `center iap 12 is formed with a protruding lip 15, similarly shaped to the lips 13 and 14. The sealing lips 13, 14 and 15 of the envelop are adapted to overlap and coincide with each other when the side ila-ps are folded over onto the body portion 10 while the center flap 12 is folded over the backs of the iaps 11. These coinciding, overlapping lips. together with the staple 16 illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, which is adapted to pierce all of the lips and clench the same securely together, form the sealing means for the envelop A to secure the overlapping portions of the same closely together. Flaps 17 are formed extending from the body portion on either side of the lip 13 and are adapted to be folded in over the contents which is to be concealed in the envelop A before the flaps 11 are folded over the same. The dotted lines in Fig. 1 illustrate the line of scoring of the blank sheet to allow easy folding of the same.

When it is desired to open the envelop A` it is only necessary to engage the bound together series of flaps 13, 14 and 15 and tear the same away from the body and overlap ping flaps of the envelop, thus disengaging these members and allowing the envelop to be easily opened. This means of sealing an envelop will obviate the necessity of applying an adhesive to the overlapping members and sealing flap and will in this manner save a large amount of labor; also the objectionable feature of moistening a sealing flap to close an envelop. There are numerous de` vices now on the market which can be readily used to insert a staple such as 16 through the overlapping, coinciding, sealing lips and it will readily be understood that an auto matically operated machine can be designed through which the envelops A can be passed and sealed where a large number of envelops are used.

It is obvious that the protruding lips can be formed from any side or end of the members of the envelop by changing the general design in accordance therewith, it only being essential that the sealing lips be so formed on the members that they will coincide and overlap so as to be secured together by a single piercing staple or suitable ele ment.

The simplicity of the invention is apparent and while a particular shape and design is illustrated in the drawings, I do not desire to confine myself to these particular illustrations, but desire to have it understood that the invention can be varied and applied to other uses to carry out the spirit of my invention, within the scope of the following claims:

1. An envelop, comprising a front body portion, three flaps adapted to overlap each other when folded on a single line, a lip formed on said flaps and on said body portion, seid lips being adapted to coincide, overlap and project from said envelop when it is folded into closed position and concealing iiaps formed on said body portion on either side of the lip formed thereon to Wholly conceal the contents of said envelop.

2. .An envelop comprising a front body portion, flaps adapted to be folded to overlie each other, projecting lips formed on said iaps and body portion adapted to coincide by reason of the folding of said flaps on a single line between said flaps and body portion, a sealing Hap formed on said body portion on either side of the lip formed thereon lto seal the contents ofV said envelop, sind means adapted'to clamp said lips together to seal said envelop.

ROBERT HARGREAVES. 

